


I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas

by tprillahfiction



Series: The Nog Verse [3]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, Christmas, Christmas Lights, Christmas With Family, Christmas fic, Cuddling, Established Relationship, Holiday Boat Parade, Holidays, K/S Advent, K/S Advent 2015, K/S Advent Calendar 2015, M/M, Making Out, Public Holiday Display, Relatives, Sequel, Sex on a Beach, Snuggling, Ugly Christmas Sweaters, beach at night, christmas at grandma's, christmas in california, christmas in southern california, families, family members - Freeform, seaside christmas, separate bedrooms, sex at grandma's house, sneaking around at night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-06 20:08:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5429123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tprillahfiction/pseuds/tprillahfiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Spock are invited to spend Christmas at Bones' grandma's house in Long Beach, California.  Bones' grandma really, really LOVES Christmas.</p><p>Written for: K/S Advent 2015</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to "Kiss-Moose" but you don't need to read that one to enjoy this fic.

_I want a hippopotamus for Christmas_  
_only a hippopotamus will do._

The song blasts out of a boat gliding past on the Alamitos bay. The huge boat is covered in multi-colored Christmas chili lights from bow to stern, the lights dancing in time to the music. 

Jim and Spock cuddle together in a sleeping bag for two on the cold sand on the beach surrounding the bay in Long Beach, California. There's a clear dark sky overhead and the water is as calm as glass. They watch the parade of lit up boats participating in the Long Beach Naples Christmas Boat Parade. Some boats participating are massive yachts, some tiny little dingys. All the people aboard the boats are partying hard, having a good time, by the looks of things. Lights in the shape of trees decorate the buoys in the center of the water. The Pacific ocean is behind them, on the other side of Ocean Boulevard on the penninsula, which makes the night particularly damp and chilly.

Jim shivers in his coat inside the sleeping bag. Spock, his boyfriend of one year--pressed up against him--also shivers. If Jim's cold, then Spock must really be freezing, even clad in the heavy navy pea-coat, ugly Christmas sweater that Bones' grandma had knitted for him, a turtleneck, another shirt, long underwear, heavy trousers, two pairs of socks, boots, and a ridiculous knitted 'ol miss' hat that Bones had lent him.

"You don't mind wearing a 'University of Mississippi' hat, Spock?" Jim had teased when Bones had plopped it on the Vulcan's head. 

"What the hell is the matter with 'Ol Miss'?" Bones had grumped out. "Huh?" 

"I wouldn't be caught dead in that thing," Jim had replied with a grin. "I should have bought him a UCLA hat, instead."

"Jim, those are fighting words. And yeah, you should have, ya jerk."

"I do not mind what college the hat advertises," Spock had replied. "Only that it keeps me warm."

"See?" Bones had said. "THAT'S what's important. Keeping your boyfriend's pointy ears warm."

"I guess," Jim had replied, laughing. 

Another illuminated boat goes past. Jim finds himself humming then outright singing along with the music: "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, my two front teeth, my two front teeth--!"

Spock huffs at that. 

Jim snuggles closer to Spock. "What? Don't you like my singing?"

Spock doesn't answer that, instead he asks: "How much longer will this Christmas boat parade last?"

"I don't know. What time is it?"

Spock pulls out his communicator and glances at it, before shoving it back into his pocket. "Local time is precisely 7:00 pm."

"Well, being as it just started at 6:30. We have a few hours to go."

"Hmm," Spock says. Obviously not impressed. 

"Where in the hell did Bones go, anyway?" The doctor had been sitting next to them only a few moments ago. Not sharing their sleeping bag, mind you, but inside his own.

Spock cranes his neck around. "I do not see him. Perhaps he went back inside the house." 

"He probably got sick of looking at us, all snug as two cuddly bugs in a rug."

"I do not blame him, if that is the reason he decamped. Maybe you and I should also vacate this beach," Spock suggests. "We can watch the parade on the balcony."

"No, no, no, Baby. More privacy here." 

It's dark on the sand, nobody can see them, not unless somebody comes walking up right on top of them. But the beach is deserted and quiet. Probably too cold to be sitting on the beach, most folks were watching from the houses that lined the bay. If they went up on the balcony, Bones' grandma would just be breathing down their necks and he couldn't do what he was going to do right now. 

He pulls the glove off his hand, slips it underneath Spock's layers of shirts and sweater. Reaching tight, warm skin. Spock recoils. "Jim," he breathes out. "Your hand is cold."

"Shhh," Jim says into his neck. "It'll warm up. Kiss me."

Spock tilts his face over, obliging, meeting Jim's mouth. Almost immediately the kiss becomes filthy, passionate, juicy. "Mmmm," Jim groans under his breath. He hardens in his trousers. His now warmed up hand roams Spock's belly. It, ever so slowly, makes its way down to Spock's waistband. There's a button in the way. He tries to open it with one hand, without leaving the kiss, his tongue sliding against Spock's. 

Spock breaks the kiss. His breath hitches. "Jim. Not now."

"Spock, Baby, nobody's here. Nobody can see us, it's okay," Jim whispers and palms Spock's huge erection through the fabric. "Come on."

Spock gives out a resigned sigh. With gloved hands he unbuttons his trousers and adjusts his hips. Jim dips his hand in, finds that hot cock. Circles his hand around it. Spock groans softly at the contact. Gulps. Closes his eyes. Tilts his face into Jim's. 

Jim gently strokes him, hand traveling up and down the shaft. He wishes he had some lube on him right now, but it's in his duffle bag. Should have slipped it into his pocket. Spock's breathing is increasing. He's close. Those eyes are closed, Spock's sighing. Jim jacks him harder, kisses him. 

There's a loud cough, several feet away. 

"Someone is approaching," Spock whispers. Jim removes his hand, sits up a bit, Spock quickly does up his button.

"Oh, relax," the voice says. "It's just me." The man comes trudging up. It's Bones. Grumbling. Bones holds a flask to his lips, takes a long sip. He groans out in audible irritation: "Ummm, Grannie sent me out here to find out if you want to come in the house. I tried to tell her you were watching the boats out here, but you know how she is...." He trails off, grimaces, holding up his hands. 

Jim clambers out of the sleeping bag. "I know, Bones. It's alright. We'll come in." 

Spock clambers out after Jim, losing his balance a bit, still sporting an erection. He nearly falls over but manages to regain his footing. Bones exchanges a glance with him, then takes another sip from the flask. 

*

Bones opens the front door then leads them inside. Grandma is standing in the entryway, hands on her hips. The silver haired woman sports a pair of old fashioned glasses on a chain around her neck. She's wearing the most gaudiest ugly Christmas sweater imaginable, festooned with bells and bows and a tree and presents, all knitted by her hands. Except Grandma doesn't like it to be called an 'Ugly Christmas Sweater', she insists it is the most beautiful thing ever and she looks forward to wearing them every year.

See, Bones' grandmother really likes Christmas. Really, really. REALLY. One could say she is obsessed with Christmas. It is definitely her hobby, if not her life.

Jim and Bones had been here to visit for two weeks during Christmas time last year, sans their respective signifigant others: Spock and Carol. Bones had warned Jim last year that his Grandma was more than a little Christmas obsessed. Bones, for once had not been exaggerating. Bones' grandma had moved here on the Long Beach, California coast, from Atlanta several years ago. She had purchased this beautiful home on the Long Beach peninsula, abutting the Alamitos Bay. And every year she outdid herself in Christmas decorations. Jim didn't know how Grandma managed to decorate both the outside and the inside so intricately, maybe she hired somebody to help her. He had coined the name: 'Santa's Lair' to describe it. 

The three of them had arrived this morning for a two week visit and already Jim thinks he's had enough of Christmas. (however it's not like he didn't know what was coming.) He hasn't asked Spock what he thinks of it, yet.

Inside, it is all lights and bows and candy cane decor and holly and bows and everything Christmas, you name it, it's there. There's a massive real pine Christmas tree in the corner of the living room and (in each of the five bedrooms, too) with bulbs and lights and tinsel and garland and more candy canes and a tree skirt and tree lights and an angel atop it and a large model train (apparently used to belong to Bones). There's a nativity scene on a table and little lit up houses with fake snow and lights. Even the three bathrooms are decorated. The HiFi against one wall-- looks to be about 200 years old-- plays non-stop Christmas music. If Jim hears: 'Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time' once more, he thinks he'll scream. 

The exterior of Grandma's house is the most decorated one on the penninsula, and that's saying something, because most residents here have their homes decorated, but Grandma outdoes herself. Every palm tree is covered in LED lights. Lights cover every inch of the outside. Jim wonders what her electricity bill must look like. However, she has solar panels installed on top of the roof, so that probably takes care of the cost involved.

"Boys!" Grandma says. "You look positively freezing! Come, get your coats off and warm yourself in front of the fire a bit, then you can watch the boats on the balcony."

"Thanks, Grandma," Jim says. Grandma pushes them to sit down on the sofa with the christmas blanket on the back of it. She hands him and Bones steaming mugs of hot eggnog, with a candy cane stuck in them and sprinkled cinnamon on top. Bones pours a measure of brandy from the flask into the eggnog. Then some into Jim's.

"Spock? How about some eggnog?" Grandma asks. 

"No, thank you, Mrs. McCoy," Spock tells her as he pulls off the ear flap hat, exposing his mussed up hair and adorably doing absolutely nothing about it. 

"Spock, please call me GRANDMA! How many times have I told you?" Grandma huffs, rushes over to the Vulcan and begins to fuss with his hair, smoothing out his bangs. "There," she says. 

Spock moves his head out of her clutches. "I must apologize, but you are not my grandmother." 

Jim chokes on his eggnog. 

Bones snickers.

"Spock," Jim warns under his breath.

"I'm everybody's grandma!" she insists. "Please, call me 'Grandma'."

Spock blinks a moment, then says: "That is illogical. However, I will concede. 'Grandma.'"

Bones shakes his head, takes a sip of eggnog. "Goddamned, pedant," he hisses.

"Lenny, no cussing," Grandma admonishes him. 

"Sorry, Grannie."

They sit there awhile, listening to the Christmas music on the HiFi, Bones grandma chirping about various things--stuff going on in Long Beach that they'll need to go see. Bones shifts on the couch, pulls out his communicator.

"Lenny!" Grandma snaps. "You're not going to be playing on your phone for the whole two weeks, are you?"

"No, Grannie," Bones replies, not looking up, his thumbs going wild. "I'm texting Carol."

"Why didn't she come with you?"

"I told you already, Grannie. She had a transfer from Enterprise to the Potemkin a month ago and didn't get shore leave. I'm just telling her goodnight."

"And that he loves her," Jim adds.

Bones looks up, raises an eyebrow at Jim. "It's your fault, anyway."

"How's it my fault, Bones?"

"You could have put a stop to the transfer."

"No I couldn't!" Jim snaps. "It was out of my hands. Orders from Admiral Nogura. They needed her on the Potemkin."

There's a ping. Bones glances down, squints at the text. "She says, 'Hi Grandma.'"

"She's such a nice girl," Grandma said. "I just love her. I wish she could have come for Christmas."

Bones takes another huge gulp of his eggnog. "Yeah." He slips his communicator back into his pocket and drops into a sulk. 

Jim feels bad for the doctor. Dr. Carol Marcus has been Bones' girlfriend for a year. They'd gotten together on exactly the same night that Jim and Spock had, during a 1920's flapper Holiday party on board the Enterprise. Bones and Dr. Marcus' relationship has been as intense as Jim and Spock's is. Bones is smitten, that is obvious in the way he pines for her. But the poor guy has been forced to be separated from her, not only for a month but for this two week shore leave, all the while having to watch Jim and Spock make all over each other. This shore leave will prove to be pure pergatory for the doctor. And today was only the first day at Grandma's. 

"Should we go out on the balcony and watch the rest of the parade?" Jim asks Bones and Spock. They both shake their heads. Jim shrugs and finishes his eggnog. 

*

Jim and Spock had been given separate bedrooms (much to Bones delight--misery loves company). Bedrooms that were far apart from each other. Jim's was down on the ground floor, next to grandma's. Spock's and Bones' respective bedrooms were up on the first floor, next to each other. Jim had tried to negotiate the bedroom situation, patiently explaining that he and Spock were a couple and very serious and--

Grandma had shut him down. "When you two get married, you can share a room in my house. Until then...."

"Yeah but--"

"Hey," Bones had said with glee. "Grannie makes the rules around here. And her hearing is quite good. Excellent. She's a light sleeper. Wakes up at every creak on the floorboards."

"Great," Jim had replied.

Bones, with Spock trailing him, trudges up the stairs. "Goodnight, Spock," Jim calls out. 

"Goodnight, Jim," Spock replies.

Bones looks back, sticks out his tongue. Jim flips him off (managing to do so without Grandma seeing.)

He's resigned to jacking off in the shower before bed. Much as it creeps him out to do so due to the bathroom's flowery wallpaper, Christmas decorations and toilet paper cozy. Does toilet paper really need a knitted cozy?

*

The next few days are more or less about the same. Grandma feeds them breakfast. Bacon and eggs and french toast for Jim and Bones and a vegan omlette for Spock. Then all day long there's a variety of Christmas cookies and tea and coffee and eggnog in between the lunch and the huge dinners every evening. Jim wonders how many pounds he's put on.

Bones doesn't say a word about all the sugar they're ingesting. He just looks listless. The man lets his facial hair grow and surreptitiously sips from his flask.

One afternoon, they're sitting on the sofa watching TV. There's some conservative guy on screen, whining about there being a: 'War on Christmas'. A war that has been going on for 300 years now. Apparently.

Bones glances around and snorts. "War on Christmas, my ass," he mumbles. "Not in this house."

"Lenny are you swearing over there?" Grandma has her glasses on, knitting something. Looks like a christmas scarf. 

"No, Grannie. What channel is this, anyway?"

"Fox News."

Bones tilts his head back. "Jim, kill me now," he whispers. "Just poison my eggnog. Please."

Jim punches Bones in the arm. He glances over at the Vulcan who is now engrossed in his own dataPADD. "What'ya up to, Spock?"

"I have some shipboard duties that require my immediate attention."

"Hey, Grannie, how come you don't chew Spock out when he's got the electronic devices in his paws, huh? Why just pick on me?" Bones complains. 

"Spock is our guest," Grandma replies, clicking her knitting needles without missing a stitch. 

Bones lets out a puff of air. "That's not fair." 

"How do you do that so fast, Grandma?" Jim wonders, watching her.

"Practice."

*

On sunday, Grandma drags them all to a candlelight caroling thing at the local church. It is beautiful and the music is amazing and Jim's glad to be able to share in it with Spock, who holds his hand--out in public and of his own volition--but poor Bones who's trapped there with them. The man's eyes are dull, almost dead.

That evening, Bones goes to his room and doesn't come out. Oh shit. Jim knocks on the door. "Bones?" There's no answer. "Bones, open up." He tries the door, it's open. 

He enters to find the doctor face down on the twin bed. 

"Bones? Bones, you okay?" 

Bones looks up, then rolls over. His hair's a mess. His eyes are red.

Jim sits down on the bed next to him. "Bones, have you been...have you been crying?"

Bones motions for Jim to shut up. "Think I want Grannie in here?"

"What's wrong?" 

"Carol."

Jim's mouth drops open. "Oh no. Did she dump you?"

Bones eyes tear up again. "No. Well, I dunno. Maybe she did. I have no idea."

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't heard from her. At all. No texts. I can't get ahold of her. I'm worried. Maybe something happened."

Jim studies Bones a moment. He digs into his trousers for his communicator, yanks it out and flips it open. "Kirk to Enterprise."

"Enterprise. Bridge, here."

"Put me through to the USS Potemkin, long range transmission."

"Aye, Captain."

After several moments: "Potemkin, Bridge," the communications officer says.

"Potemkin, this is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise."

"Yes, Captain Kirk, what can we do for you?"

"I'd like to speak with Dr. Carol Marcus."

There's a few moments wait that feels like an eternity. Bones fidgets. Then the communication's officer says: "Captain Kirk, Dr. Marcus is unavailable right now."

"Unavailable? What do you mean?"

"She is on leave."

"Leave? When did that happen?"

There's another moment of silence, then: "She left the ship, two days ago."

"Where's she taking leave?"

"On Earth, somewhere. We don't have the specifics on that. Sorry, Captain."

"Thank you, Kirk out." Jim closes the communicator. Bones is up, pacing the room. "Calm down, Bones."

"She went on leave?! She went on leave?! She didn't tell me? Why wouldn't she--? Why--?" Oh my God. Jim, she did dump me. She dumped me. She went ghost on me! " Bones brings his hands to his mouth. "Oh my God. Oh my God." The man tears up again, sniffles.

"Alright, Bones, calm down. Just calm down." 

Bones flops onto the bed. 

Shit. It certainly looks as if Carol actually dumped him. Why else would she take leave and not say a word to him about it? "Spock?" Jim calls out. 

Instantly, Spock opens the door. "Yes?" He spots the doctor, who turns from the Vulcan slightly, the embarrassment apparent on the man's face. 

"Hey, uh, do you mind if I take Bones out for a bit?"

Spock's eyes widen at the sight of Bones. The Vulcan comes close, sitting down on the bed. There's concern in those dark eyes. "Doctor, what is wrong?"

"Nothing," Bones replies, rubbing his eyes. "I'm alright."

*

Jim and bones sit at a table in the rear at the bar on Second Street in Belmont Shore. Jim sips his brandy and watches while the doctor cries into his whiskey. 

"I can't believe it," Bones whines. "I can't fucking believe it. She couldn't have...I dunno...waited until after Christmas? She had to go and do it now?"

"Bones, you don't know she dumped you."

"Well, I don't know she didn't. She went on leave...where'd she go? Who knows? She's on Earth, but she didn't want to come see me." Bones stares at his hands. "I tried, I really did. I mean, Jim. Am...I really that big of an asshole?"

Jim pats Bones' shoulder. "Bones. You're a great guy. Honest. We don't know she's dumped you. Okay? Maybe she went to see her family. You know, most officers and crew, that's what they do for Christmas, they go see their own family. Their mom and dad, you know?"

"Yeah." Bones sniffles again. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Maybe she didn't dump me. I'll find out, soon, won't I. If she never contacts me again. But, it's not like she and I can really talk about it face to face, can we? Her being stuck on the Potemkin."

"Believe me, Bones. If I could have stopped that transfer, I would have."

"I know. I know." Bones grimaces and fights back tears. 

To be honest, Jim's never seen Bones this tore up about a woman before. Sure the doc has been plenty upset and shed a few tears when he's lost a patient, but he's never been like this. However, this is Bones first romantic relationship since the divorce--and as he'd said before, Bones had been smitten. Poor Bones. 

A couple hours later and Bones is stinking drunk. "You know what?" Bones slurs out. "Fuck her. She ain't all that. Fuck her. She thinks she's hot shit, because she's got a hot bod and blonde hair and a brilliant mind and is the most--" Bones chokes up again. "Goddammit, she was the most wonderful woman I've ever met." He whimpers. "Ever. What am I gonna do, Jim?"

Jim sighs. 

The bartender calls out: "Closing time, ten minutes! You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."

Jim flips open his communicator. "Spock?"

"Spock here."

"You want to come meet us at second Street?"

"Yes, of course, Jim."

"Bring my...medical bag," Bones slurs out. "I got... something in there...sober me up. Grannie...will be waiting up for us...don't want her to see me like...this...."

"Spock, you hear that?"

"Affirmative. I will be there shortly."

*

The next morning Bones is scowling at his breakfast. Grandma sets down coffee in front of the doctor. "If you hadn't stayed out so late last night, you boys wouldn't be so exhausted. Now would you?"

"Hmph," Bones mumbles, sipping his coffee at least. The man is hung over, the anti-ol hadn't gotten rid of that. He hasn't combed his hair nor bothered to shave. 

"Lenny, you look a wreck. Does he look like this aboard the ship, Jim?" Grandma wonders.

"No," Jim tells her with a huge yawn. "He is crisp, clean and professional. The best Chief Medical Officer in Starfleet." Bones smirks at that. His eyes are still red.

Grannie smiles. "That's my Lenny. You know what you boys could do this evening?"

"What?" Bones says.

"You could go on the Gondola ride through the Naples canals. Look at the Christmas lights! Wouldn't that be that fun?"

"Gondola ride, sounds romantic," Bones says with a snort. 

*

After watching TV the rest of the evening, the three of them trudge up to Bones' room. "What are you guys gonna do? Tuck me in?" Bones wonders. 

"It's the least we can do, Bones." 

"I gotta take a shower, brush my teeth first. Just cause my ex-girlfriend dumps me, doesn't mean I can let my pearly whites go to hell, does it?" 

"Okay, Bones. Well, Goodnight," Jim says. "Goodnight, Spock."

"You know what?" Bones says, suddenly. "Grandma's got really good hearing--"

"We know, Bones. We haven't been sneaking around, honest. And I can't speak for Spock, but I'm climbing the fucking walls."

"She's got really good hearing when she wears her hearing aid," Bones adds. "But she takes it out at night."

"I thought you said she hears every creak in the floorboards?"

"I lied," Bones says. "She's a sound sleeper. Won't wake up."

Jim and Spock go to the doorway. "You are an asshole, you know that?" Jim tells him.

Bones grimaces. "Yeah."

*

It's Christmas Eve and halfway through their leave. Grandma is happily serving cookies and drinks. "Spock? Would you please try some eggnog?" 

Spock thinks for a moment. "Thank you, Grandma, i will have a mug of eggnog." 

Grandma beams from ear to ear. "Finally!" She runs to the kitchen to fetch another one. 

Jim turns to Bones, still sulking on the couch, but at least the man has shaved, combed his hair and put on a clean ugly sweater. Jim pats him on the shoulder. "Lookin' better, Bones." 

"Yeah, well, I decided today on Christmas Eve I'm not gonna feel sorry for myself anymore. Might as well enjoy my leave, no matter what. So my intimate life in in tatters, doesn't matter anymore. What matters is being here with you guys and my grannie." 

"That's the spirit, Bones. Right, Spock?" 

Those beautiful obsidian eyes study the doctor. "Yes, Jim."

"Is eggnog safe for Vulcans?" Jim wonders.

"Course it is," Bones grumps. "Think I'd sit by and allow it if it wasn't?" 

Grandma returns with another mug of eggnog for Spock. They all watch, interested while Spock tries it. Spock nods in approval. 

"Fascinating," Bones says. "Thought I'd never see a Vulcan drink eggnog, but anyway, I'm glad he likes it. Both of ya are going on strict diets when we get back to the Enterprise." 

"Sure, Bones." 

The doorbell rings. Grandma jumps up. "I'll bet that's some Christmas carolers!" 

"Yeah, great," Bones says, not getting up off the couch. Jim and Spock don't move, either. 

Grandma looks at the three of them. "Oh, you boys are a bunch of ol Grinches." She goes to answer the front door. 

It doesn't sound like it's Christmas carolers, but they can't see or quite hear who it is, talking. There's a delay before Grandma gets back. Jim gets up. "We should see who that is at the door."

Bones stands up. "Yeah. Grannie? You alright?"

Grannie suddenly appears in the living room. "Lenny?"

"Yeah? What took you so long?"

"I have a surprise for you!"

"What?"

Suddenly, Carol Marcus walks into the living room. "Hi, Leonard!"

Bones stares. Gapes. He doesn't move, he's frozen. He doesn't look happy, however. "Carol, uh…hi."

Carol tilts her head. "Surprise, I think?"

Scotty enters the living room. "Hi guys!" 

"Hey, Scotty!" Jim says. "What are you doing here?"

"Brought Carol," the chief engineer says. "Is that…is that eggnog?" Spock nods. "God, I could murder a mug of that stuff." Grandma gets him a mug full. He drinks it down. "Delicious. Oh, hi I'm Scotty." Grandma pours him another.

Bones glances over at Scotty then back to Carol. He closes his eyes. Then opens them in some kind of realization.

Carol blinks at Bones. 

"Carol, come on," Bones finally says. "Let's go into the kitchen and talk."

"Alright." The pair walks away.

Everyone else sits in the living room on the sofa, Scotty on one chair and Grannie on the other chair, waiting, in awkward silence. Fox news plays on the TV. The guy on the screen still complaining about the supposed 'War on Christmas'. 

Scotty sips at his eggnog. "Woo, what's going on?"

Jim sighs and whispers. "I think that's it for Carol and the doc. They're breaking up." On Christmas Eve, of all days. Poor Bones.

"Are they?" Scotty replies. "That's not what I heard."

"No?"

"Noooo," Scotty says with a smirk. 

After about a half an hour, Bones and Carol return to the living room. Smiling and holding hands. Which is a good sign. "Carol, you remember Grannie?" 

"Yes, of course," Carol says. "Hi, Grannie!"

"I'm so glad you could join us! What is this about you two breaking up?" 

Bones blushes and slides his arm around Carol's waist. "I was sorely mistaken. The reason why I couldn't contact her for so long is because she was in transit to Earth in a shuttlecraft. We're not breaking up. That was me, jumping to conclusions."

"Awww," Jim says. "I'm glad. Happy for the both of you!" He raises up his mug of eggnog. 

"There's also another reason why you couldn't contact me. I was shopping," Carol says to Bones. She pulls a small red box with a green bow out of her pocket and hands it to Bones. "Here."

"What's this?" Bones asks.

"Open it."

Bones does. He stares at it a moment. "It's a ring," he says.

She nods. "Leonard, will you marry me?"

Bones blinks at Carol, looks down at the ring, then back up at Carol, then back down to the ring. He puts his hand to his face. "Oh my God."

"Well?"

Bones grins. "Yes." Then he breaks down in tears. "I thought… I thought this was it… but… now we're gonna get…oh my God…." he whimpers. 

Carol shakes her head, pries Bones' left hand off of his face, and slides the ring on his finger. They kiss and the living room breaks out into applause. Even Spock does. 

*

Later that evening, Carol and a grinning like a madman Bones and Jim and Spock go on gondola rides. Each couple takes their own boat. 

As they glide through the canal system in Naples, Long Beach, snacking on cheese and crackers, snuggling under a blanket, Spock wrapped up warmly and looking at Christmas lights. The gondolier gently punting them through the calm water. Jim whispers: "Thank God that turned out well between Bones and Carol. Damn. I was worried sick about Bones."

Spock nods. "I have a confession to make."

"What?"

"I was instrumental in Carol getting her leave to visit Dr. McCoy."

"You were? How?"

"I called in a favor to the captain of the Potemkin." 

"That's why you were on your dataPADD so much?"

"Indeed. I was not certain that all the details would fall into place. It was imperative that it do so, being as Dr. Marcus wished to propose marriage on Christmas Eve."

"Wait a minute, you knew she was planning it?"

"Yes." 

"Wow, and I was…completely in the dark."

"My apologies. She had sworn me and Engineer Scott to secrecy.",/p>

"Well, It's…alright…I suppose."

The gondola stops in front of a bridge, where the gondolier breaks into song. "And," Spock says over the singing. "Since you and I had become a couple on the same day as Drs. Marcus and McCoy, I thought it pertinent that you and I become engaged on the same day."

"Spock, we're not engaged." ,/p>

Spock holds up a gold ring and raises an eyebrow. He places it on Jim's finger. "Will you marry me?"

Jim grins. 

*

Jim sneaks along the squeaky floorboards, cringing at every noise. He creeps up the stairs and into Spock's room. 

"Hello, my beloved," Spock whispers. Jim leaps into bed with him. They tear off each other's night clothing, throwing it all onto the floor, kissing passionately, rolling around together, enjoying each other's bodies at last. 

Suddenly they hear Bones moan in the room next door. Jim pauses and giggles at that. "Those two have a head start," he whispers. 

Spock pulls Jim back down, claims his mouth.

In no time, Jim's got Spock lubed up and is rubbing some on his own rock hard, leaking cock. Spock flips over to his stomach. They move in haste, almost. Jim centers his his dick against Spock's entrance and pushes in. 

"Ohhh," Spock breathes out. 

Jim fucks him hard, hell it's been ages since they'd done it last and it isn't long until Spock's spurting into his own hand and those muscles clench around his dick, sending Jim over the edge and pumping his seed into Spock's rectum. 

"Ohhh, Spock," Jim whispers.

___________  
end


End file.
